Chamber and committees

Food and Drink Exports from Scotland were valued at £4.9 billion in 2015, with 40% going to the EU. We are working closely with stakeholders across the food and drink industry, including the industry leadership body, Scotland Food and Drink, to establish the impact of Brexit on Scotland’s trade within the EU and through wider free trade agreement.

The Scottish Government will table specific proposals in the coming weeks to protect Scotland’s interests and keep us in the Single Market, even if the rest of the UK decides to leave.

The Scottish Government website has a dedicated section on Europe, including information on the implications of the EU Referendum, which can be found at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/International/Europe. We have published information here, including the First Minister’s letter to EU citizens in Scotland and minutes of Standing Council meetings. We are currently considering how best to use this to share information about Scottish Government activity that is taking place in relation to Scotland’s place in Europe.

No information has been published by the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe.

However, a number of reports have been published by the Scottish Government following the EU referendum, including:

• ‘Potential Implications of the UK Leaving the EU on Scotland's Long Run Economic Performance’ (August 2016) http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00504615.pdf

• ‘The impacts of migrants and migration into Scotland’ (October 2016) http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/10/5974 and ‘Characteristics of migrants in Scotland: Analysis of the 2011 Census’ (October 2016) http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/10/6840

• ‘State of the Economy’ (October 2016) http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00508901.pdf

Analysis published by the Scottish Government (“Potential Implications of the UK Leaving the EU on Scotland’s Long Run Economic Performance”) on 23 August 2016 summarises the impact that leaving the EU could have on the Scottish economy based on a range of recent studies covering different trading relationships that the UK could adopt.

The analysis shows that the potential cost to Scottish GDP of leaving the European Union could be up to £11.2 billion per year by 2030 than under a scenario where the UK remains a member. The analysis also indicates that leaving the EU could result in a reduction in Scottish tax revenues of up to £3.7 billion a year by 2030.

Evidence published by the European and External Relations Committee based on analysis by the Fraser of Allander Institute confirms the risks Brexit poses to Scotland’s economy. The Fraser of Allander Institute forecast that leaving the EU could result in the number of people in employment being up to 80,000 lower after ten years.

The Scottish Government is pursuing all options to retain our relationship with Europe, access to the single market, and all the advantages that brings.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-04327 on 15 November 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The Scottish Government is committed to protecting Scotland’s relationship with the EU, including state aid rules, following Scotland’s unequivocal vote to retain the wide range of economic and social benefits membership provides. We are considering all possible steps to ensure Scotland’s continuing relationship with the EU and are engaged at ministerial and official level with the UK Government to ensure the best outcome for Scotland following the EU referendum. This will help us to shape policy going forward after Article 50 is triggered and post-Brexit.

Analysis published by the Scottish Government (“Potential Implications of the UK Leaving the EU on Scotland’s Long Run Economic Performance”) on 23 August 2016 summarises the impact that leaving the EU could have on the Scottish economy based on a range of recent studies covering different trading relationships that the UK could adopt. Evidence published by the European and External Relations Committee based on analysis by the Fraser of Allander Institute confirms the risks Brexit poses to Scotland’s economy. The Fraser of Allander Institute analysis includes estimates of the impact on exports based on a number of potential trading relationships. The Scottish Government is therefore well aware of the potential impact of Brexit on exports from Scotland and we are pursuing all options to retain our relationship with Europe, access to the single market and all the advantages that brings.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-04327 on 15 November 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The Scottish Government is committed to protecting Scotland's relationship with the EU, including state aid rules, following Scotland's unequivocal vote to retain the wide range of economic and social benefits membership provides. We are considering all possible steps to ensure Scotland's continuing relationship with the EU and are engaged at ministerial and official level with the UK Government to ensure the best outcome for Scotland following the EU referendum.

This means that we will continue to provide appropriate support to businesses within the state aid rules as we do for activities such as skills and training, and Research Development and Innovation.